Plea - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition plea

Definition :

That which is alleged by a party in support of his cause in a stricter sense an allegation of fact in a cause as distinguished from a demurrer in a still more limited sense and in modern practice the defendants answer to the plaintiffs declaration and demand That which the plaintiff alleges in his declaration is answered and repelled or justified by the defendants plea In chancery practice a plea is a special answer showing or relying upon one or more things as a cause why the suit should be either dismissed delayed or barred In criminal practice the plea is the defendants formal answer to the indictment or information presented against him